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HYDRODYNAMICS AND ALGAL REPRODUCTION
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2001.jpy37303-45.x
Subject(s) - biology , ulva lactuca , zoospore , gametophyte , botany , lactuca , gamete , sporophyte , chlorophyta , spore , algae , sperm , horticulture , pollen
Gordon, R. J. & Brawley, S. H. School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469 USA Environmental conditions, such as water motion, can influence fertilization success and spore dispersal in marine algae. Previous studies in fucoid algae showed that gamete release is restricted to periods of low water motion; however, few other algal taxa have been investigated, including species with an alternation of generations. We investigated gamete and spore release in Alaria esculenta (Phaeophyceae) and Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) to determine if water motion is inhibitory or stimulates propagule release. Sporophytes (sporophylls) and gametophytes (U. lactuca and A. esculenta) were assigned to either calm or shaken treatments inside a walk‐in culture chamber. The number of zoospores (A. esculenta, U. lactuca) or gametes (U. lactuca) released each day was determined with a hemacytometer. Antheridial release was observed directly in A. esculenta after fixation. A. esculenta released a significantly higher number of zoospores under turbulent conditions (P= 0.0001, 2‐way ANOVA) and a higher number of sperm under calm conditions (P = 0.001, 2‐way ANOVA). Juvenile A. esculenta sporophytes were present in significantly higher numbers in calm treatments (P = 0.001 2‐way ANOVA; contact time, male + female gametophytes = 150 min). Significantly higher release under turbulent conditions was observed for both U. lactuca gametes (P = 0.0021, 2‐way ANOVA) and zoospores (P = 0.0028, 2‐way ANOVA). These data demonstrate that different algal taxa have varying reproductive responses to water motion and have interest with respect to parthenogenesis, gametophyte and sporophyte ratios, and life‐history adaptation.